Auger-handle.



' G. P. FRANK.

AUGER HANDLE.

APPLICATION FILED KAY 19. 1908.

vPATENTBD APR. 23.` 19o?.

GEORGE P. FRANK, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

AUSER-HANDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application led May 19,1906. Serial No. 817,755.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. FRANK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Auger-Handle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to handles for augers and similar tools and has for its obj ect to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character capable of being quickly attached to or detached from the auger and by means of which the latter may be conveniently used for the various purposes for which it is designed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a casing having 'a socket formed therein for the reception of the shank of the auger and provided with stationary and movable handles one of which is operatively connected with a sliding clutch, whereby the movement of the handle will cause the clutch. to engage andlock the shank within the socket.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. l y

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is alongitudinal sectional view of an auger handle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 11. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the casing. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the inner end of the stationary handle.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved device comprises a stationary cylindrical casing 5 provided with an annular enlargement 6 having alined recesses or openings 7 formed therein. for the reception of the shank 8 of an auger or similar tool 9.

Mounted for rotation in one end of the casing is a plug or actuating member 10 pro-I vided with a reduced shank or extension 11 adapted to engage the movable handle 12. The member 10 is provided with a longitudinal bore the interior walls of which arei threaded for engagement with the reduced threaded shank 13 of a clutch 14. The clutch 14 is provided with a rectangular recess or opening 15 adapted to register with' the opening 7 to permit the insertion of the shank of the tool 8, some of the walls of said openings being provided with teeth or serrations 15 adapted to grip the adjacent walls. of the shank 8 when the actuating member is moved longitudinally of the h-andle and thereby force `the shank in engagement with the walls of the opening 7 so as to lock said shank within the casing. The member 10 is provided with a conical recess 16 to accommodate the inclined or beveled ends 17 of the clutch 14 when the latter is moved to operative position, said member being also formed with an annular groove or recess 18 in which is seated the end of a set screw 19 carried by the casing 5 and adapted to prevent longitudinal movement of the member while at the same time permitting the same to rotate freely within the adjacent end of the casing. The member 10 is also preferably formed with an exterior annular recess 20 thereby to reduce the friction between said member and the casing when the former is rotated.

Rigidly secured to the opposite end of the casing is a stationary handle 21 the inner end of which is bifurcated at 22 for the reception of the adjacent end of the clutch member 141 whereby the latter is locked against rotary movement while the handle 12 is rotated but permitted to slide longitudinally of the casing into engagement with the shank of the tool. The bifurcated end of the stationary handle 21 is formed with angular openings 23 the walls of which are preferably arranged in alinement with the walls of the openings 6b thereby to permit the ready introduction and removal of the shank of the tool.

ICO

In operation when it is desired to attach the handle to an auger or similar tool the movable handle 12 is rotated until the openings 7 in the clutch member register with the IIO engagement with the adjacent walls of the socket thus eiectually locking said tool against accidental displacement.

In order to remove the device it is merely necessary to rotate the handle 12 in the opposite direction when the auger may be readily detached. rlhe handles may be made in various sizes and shapes and the casing plated, coated, or otherwise protected so as to give the same a neat attractive appearance.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided an extremely simple, inexpensive and efficient device admif rably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is: Y

A device of the class described comprising a casing provided with a socket, a stationary handle secured to one end of the casing, a movable handle carried bythe opposite end of the casing, a rotary member interposed between the casing and the movable handle and provided with a threaded bore the walls of which are inclined or beveled at a point adj acent the socket, said rotary member being provided With an annular groove and having a squared extension adapted to engage a correspondingly shaped opening Jformed in the movable handle, a clutch provided with a rectangular opening adapted to register with the socket and having a threaded shank adapted to engage the threads on the rotating member, one end of the clutch beinginclined or beveled for engagement with the inclined walls of the threaded bore, and a clamping screw extending through the casing and seated within the groove of the rotary member for locking the latter against accidental displacement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, Ihave hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses:

GEORGE P. FRANK.

Witnesses:

AUG. Fn. STOEGKLEIN, CONAN S. HARIES. 

